Tucker, B. (2014).  Editorial. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 5 (1).                       1                             

 

Editorial 

Welcome to Volume 5 of the Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. 

This web-based journal is an open access publication of peer-reviewed publications 
disseminating research and best practice in higher education teaching and learning for 
graduate employability. 

As universities continue to direct attention to graduate capabilities (also referred to as 
attributes) and employability, the momentum in curriculum development designed to improve 
employability continues to grow. It is now widely accepted that it is not sufficient for 
universities to merely articulate graduate capabilities, they must also accept that they have a 
responsibility to create a curriculum in which the explicit teaching, learning and assessment 
of these capabilities is embedded.  While on the surface it seems a straightforward matter, 
the practicalities of designing a curriculum to achieve this are far from simple, and require 
academics to review their beliefs and behaviours related to teaching and learning. In 
particular, they are faced with the dilemma of how best to design teaching and learning 
activities, including work integrated learning opportunities, which will not only enable 
students to develop and practice ‘employability’ skills, but also engage them. Whilst not 
appropriate for all courses, one approach to addressing this dilemma is through the 
integration of authentic resources and experiences into the curriculum. 

The recent NMC Horizon Report 2014 Higher Education Edition supports the need to focus 

on developing curricula which incorporate emerging technologies such as social networks 
and communities of practice, arguing that these can bring real world perspectives to the 
subject matter, engage students in peer-to-peer collaboration, make content more dynamic 
and accessible, facilitate group problem-solving and build communication skills, all of which 
are fundamental to graduate employability. Indeed research evidence suggests that 
employers are unwilling to accept below average levels in these skills for fear of the negative 
impact they may have on their organisations. 

Similarly, there is growing interest in the ‘flipped’ classroom which sees valuable class time 
used for the application of knowledge and skills in interactive, project, problem-based, or 
simulated situations, while students access information in a variety of modes outside of class 
time. Such an approach has the potential to immerse students in authentic and at times 
unpredictable learning experiences and environments, thereby empowering them when 
faced with challenge and risk in the workplace.  

In sharing a range of techniques to embed graduate capabilities into the curriculum it is 
hoped that we can stimulate discussion around curriculum innovations which have the 
potential to transform learning and enhance graduate employability. Our first article for 2014 
reports on the strategy of volunteer workplace-based learning and employability.  

On behalf of our editorial committee and the Journal’s editor, Professor Beverley Oliver, I 
encourage you to participate, through this Journal, in scholarly communication, debate and 
scholarship in learning and teaching for effective graduate employability. 

Beatrice Tucker 
Deputy Editor